Jack and Ruby, both dedicated mountaineers, understood the paramount danger of avalanches when climbing mountains of this magnitude; typically, survival in such a scenario depended entirely on immediate rescue—otherwise, death was certain.
The odds of encountering an avalanche were slim, making the actual event highly improbable, yet against all expectation, they were caught in one, and what’s more, this avalanche was man-made!
But something even more astonishing occurred: a single person, using only the raw power of their own body, managed to physically halt the terrifying, natural force of the cascading snow!
The three observers were stunned dumbfounded. Before they could even process what they saw, Li Yundong launched himself outward, clearing a distance of over ten meters in a single bound, and with a few more such leaps, vanished from sight.
Yet, not long after disappearing, Li Yundong bounded back, reappearing from the snow cavern where they had sought shelter. He retrieved a rectangular object, nearly as tall as a man, strapped it to his back, and with a few swift movements, instantly shot away again.
It was only after Li Yundong had been gone for a long time that the three finally snapped back to reality.
“**Jesus Christ, that was absolutely miraculous,” whispered the foreigner, Jack, his voice trembling.
Ruby, who had kept his camera running, holding the rigid filming posture the entire time, stammered, “Liu, I know China is a magical place, but, but that was just too much!”
As he spoke, his voice involuntarily rose slightly, and instantly, several fine cracks appeared on the man-made snow wall before them with a sharp sizzle.
Immediately, Jack and Liu Xia lunged forward, clamping their hands over Ruby’s mouth.
Liu Xia pressed his voice low, warning, “Save the commentary for when we’re off the mountain!”
The foreigner, Jack, bobbed his head in vigorous agreement, like a chick pecking grain.
For a moment, the three barely dared to draw a breath, tiptoeing down the slope as stealthily as thieves.
After descending ahead of the others, Li Yundong sprinted away with a panicked rush, feeling a profound sense of guilt, not stopping until he was far removed from the mountain’s shadow. Only then did he allow himself a moment to rest and catch his breath.
Alone on the vast expanse of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, he wandered aimlessly. His Foundation Establishment had just succeeded, but now he was adrift, uncertain of his next move, feeling lost in a boundless wilderness with no clear direction forward.
It was then that Li Yundong suddenly recalled Zi Yuan—the woman devoid of any ethereal aura. Hadn't she said that once his Foundation Establishment was complete, she would automatically seek him out?
Li Yundong, bearing the Seven Treasures Spirit-Guiding Fan on his back, looked around blankly. As he stood lost in thought, a sensation like thousands of needles pricking his spine suddenly made him tense. It felt as though someone was lurking in the shadows, coveting him.
Li Yundong snapped his head around violently. Turning, he saw a Land Rover parked near the roadside not far away. Inside sat a young man and woman—the very pair who had spied on him previously when he encountered Mei Duo and Qiang Ba Ge La.
The woman was dressed fashionably and seductively, wearing a pair of purple sunglasses; at first glance, her waterfall of black hair and delicate melon-seed face were intensely alluring. The man wore a brightly colored, unbuttoned, long-sleeved pink shirt and the kind of dark glasses favored by Jackie Chan’s childhood fans—utterly dashing.
Seeing Li Yundong’s gaze fall upon them, the man’s mouth curled into a slight smile. He leaned over and whispered a few words into the woman’s ear. She responded with a sultry smile, giving him a light kiss on the cheek, then looped her arm around his neck, and the two descended from the vehicle seemingly joined at the hip.
The man wrapped an arm around the curvy waist of the sultry woman and began walking slowly toward Li Yundong, constantly tilting his head to assess him. When he was still ten meters away, he removed his sunglasses, revealing a pair of decidedly frivolous eyes. As his gaze fixed upon the Seven Treasures Spirit-Guiding Fan behind Li Yundong’s back, his eyes flared with intense greed and envy.
Li Yundong remained inwardly vigilant, steadying his composure. He fixed his gaze on the man before him, utterly silent, as unmoving and imposing as a majestic mountain.
The voluptuous woman beside the man also eyed Li Yundong with curiosity, her glance occasionally flicking toward him with a seductive, mesmerizing allure.
“I am Wu Hao of the Yin-Yang Sect from Wuhua Mountain…” Wu Hao smirked with an air of utter superficiality, releasing the woman’s waist to offer a casual bow. The woman beside him giggled coquettishly, her expression enchantingly seductive as she announced, “This little lady is Lü Fengping, also from the Yin-Yang Sect of Wuhua Mountain.”
Li Yundong executed a measured counter-bow, his expression unchanged. “A pleasure, a pleasure. May I ask why you two sought me out?”
Wu Hao tapped his sunglasses rhythmically against his own palm, standing in a loose, crooked posture that made him look far less like a cultivator and much more like a local ruffian.
He tutted dismissively. “Oh, nothing much. We heard a long, echoing roar from afar. My partner, Lü Fengping, and I recognized the sound, realizing someone nearby must have successfully established their Foundation. We came to investigate. We never expected it to be an acquaintance we’d already crossed paths with.”
Li Yundong stated calmly, “I see. What a coincidence. May I take my leave now?”
Seeing that Li Yundong was not welcoming his company, Wu Hao felt a flare of irritation, which he struggled to suppress. “Don’t be in such a hurry to go, friend. I have a little transaction I’d like to discuss with you. Interested?”
Li Yundong refused without hesitation. “Not interested!”
This blunt refusal choked Wu Hao mid-sentence. He paused, visibly annoyed. “I haven’t even told you what the deal is, and you’ve already refused? That’s rather impolite, isn’t it?”
Li Yundong snorted contemptuously and gestured around his person. “I am a lone traveler, with nothing but this one external item. There is nothing you could possibly covet, unless…” Li Yundong’s gaze swept over the seductive woman beside Wu Hao, a mocking smile touching his lips. “Unless you plan on kidnapping your companion for a spot of color?”
Wu Hao’s expression immediately darkened, but Lü Fengping burst into a peal of laughter, her voice husky and completely unfazed. In fact, a hint of further provocation entered her eyes.
Wu Hao glared darkly at Li Yundong for a moment, but then his face softened, and he smiled again. “I won’t quarrel with you over a trifle. Let me simply ask: are you selling that Seven Treasures Spirit-Guiding Fan you have on your back?”
Li Yundong’s heart tightened instantly upon hearing the man immediately identify the provenance of the precious fan. How did he recognize it? he thought grimly.
Li Yundong retorted sharply, “Not for sale!”
Wu Hao was unwilling to concede. “I’ll offer five million for your Seven Treasures Spirit-Guiding Fan. Sell or not?”
Li Yundong’s breath hitched; he sucked in a sharp breath of cold air!
Five million!
Five million meant a person’s most difficult struggles regarding housing and livelihood would be essentially solved for a lifetime. He could buy two or three apartments and live out the rest of his days as a pampered, corrupt landlord. That was the very life Li Yundong had longed for in his previous existence!
However, Li Yundong knew he had changed. He could never return to the state of merely needing enough food for himself, and furthermore, this item was a gift from Su Chan—it was priceless to him. How could he possibly sell it?
Li Yundong scoffed. “Five million? I wouldn't sell it for fifty billion!”
Wu Hao’s brow furrowed, a flicker of malice flashing in his eyes, yet he maintained his patience. “Fellow Daoist, I see you are also one of us, which is why I am trying to negotiate civilly. If you think my offer is too low, why don’t you name your price? Everything is negotiable! Five million isn’t enough, perhaps ten million? What, ten million isn’t acceptable either? Then twenty million—I can’t go any higher!”
Li Yundong watched Wu Hao casually double the price to twenty million without so much as a blink, and sneered, “Save your effort. I will absolutely never sell this Seven Treasures Spirit-Guiding Fan!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Wu Hao threw an arm around Lü Fengping and roared with laughter. “I told you this might be the Seven Treasures Spirit-Guiding Fan! You didn’t believe me! How about that? I managed to confirm it, didn't I!”
Lü Fengping smiled charmingly. “Yes, yes, you are the most capable, my devil!”
Wu Hao dropped the facade of barely contained anger, becoming arrogant and overbearing. He tilted his chin up and sneered, “Kid, trying to fight me? You’re too green! Let me tell you, if you’re smart, you’ll sell me the Fan willingly, and I’ll still give you five million. Otherwise, hmph hmph…”
Li Yundong, by nature proud and stubborn, yielded to softness but resisted force; if someone was aggressive, he became ten times more so.
He smiled coldly. “Or what?”
Wu Hao sneered back, “Or it’s a pity for the cultivation you just achieved through Foundation Establishment. You’ll die right here at the very start of your journey as a cultivator!”
Li Yundong’s eyebrows lifted, preparing to speak, when Lü Fengping flirtatiously sent him a dazzling wink, drawling sweetly, “Oh, Little Brother, why carry such a grudge over a dead object? Our dear Devil here gets very fierce when he’s angry, and you’ve only just established your Foundation; you’re no match for him! Look, we aren’t trying to forcibly snatch your treasure, are we? We are discussing a price. Five million is too little; my man here is extremely stingy. I say, how about ten million? Ten million isn't a small sum, is it? It’s better to settle disputes than to make enemies!”
Wu Hao gave Lü Fengping a sharp pinch on the hip, chuckling. “You wanton woman, siding with an outsider! I think you’ve taken a shine to him, your desire is running rampant—you really want to snatch some color, don’t you?”
Lü Fengping wriggled within Wu Hao’s embrace, pouting charmingly. “Devil, how dare you say such things about me! Be careful, or I’ll bite off that ugly thing of yours when we get home!”
Wu Hao grunted. “If you want some action, just take it, I don’t mind!” He then looked at Li Yundong with a lewd gaze. “Hey, ten million, plus this woman—how’s that for sincerity? You look like you’re still a virgin, kid. Once you taste what she has to offer, you’ll know what the most intoxicating thing in the world is!”
Li Yundong watched the disgusting display between Wu Hao and Lü Fengping with cold eyes, feeling sickened internally. He snorted coldly and said, “Are you two finished? If so, hurry up and scram. Don't stand here polluting my eyes and ears! Mistaking shamelessness for entertainment, bah!” With that, he spat heavily onto the ground.
Wu Hao instantly became enraged, his face contorted. He pointed a finger at Li Yundong and roared, “You ungrateful bastard! I’ll give you one last warning: hand over the treasure fan, and I’ll let you live!”